AC/DC Adaptor schematic symbol

ac |\\ | dc --| \\|------ |/ |

A diode :)

Since this is my first post to sci.electronics.basics, and I am indeed a beginner, I have to ask:

wouldnt that give you half phase AC, not actual DC?

Or would you call it 'wobbly DC'?

As I said, Im a complete noob to electronics (Im a comp sci guy who has taken a recent interest) so excuse the stupid questions!

Thanks

JT was making a little joke.

I'd just draw a rectangle. Two wires on the left would be labeled ACH and ACL or something, and on the right + and -.

Inside, say what it is: "28 VAC to 10 VDC CONVERTER"

John

Yes, couldn't resist it. Would be more of a bridge diode. Like john said, draw a box with 4 leads - 2 labeled ac and the + and - leads.

For weird stuff like that, I just use a four pin IC outline and label it.

Actually, it is more than a bridge rectifier. In fact, while a bridge rectifier would rectify the AC into pulsating DC, one should never confuse an "AC-DC adapter" with a bridge rectifier. An AC-DC adapter *may* have a bridge rectifier inside it, but it also may not. The term "AC-DC adaptor" *strongly* implies a transformer followed by a rectifier. Most, if not all, "AC-DC adapters" contain a transformer and a rectifier. The fear here with joking that it is a diode or a bridge is that the OP, who is perhaps not familiar enough to recognize the joke, may be confused.

To the OP Draw a box showing input and output, and put a label inside it or over it; make it as large or small as you like:

--------------- AC-DC | 9 Volt | Adapter | AC-DC Adapter | ----- | | ~ --| 9V |-- +

--|120VAC + |---- ~ --|150mA|-- - | 9V | -----

--|120VAC - |---- | | |Output: 150 mA | | | ---------------

These things are very often "wall warts", so you might even label it a "9V DC wall wart". Be sure to specify the voltage - 3V, 6V, 9V, whatever and identify which output lead is positive.

Ed

Simon Scott wrote @ Fri, 31 Mar 2006

By the way; it's still DC because it never changes polarity/direction. You can call it pulsating DC.

Andreas.

Nice response, thanks.

I didnt get the joke, maybe one day I will :)